Mary Leigh Pirtle helps employers navigate complicated and evolving employment law issues. She counsels clients on a wide range of day-to-day employment matters, and regularly conducts onsite internal investigations into allegations of employee misconduct. With experience in both traditional labor and employment litigation, Mary Leigh has represented employers against claims ranging from wage and hour violations to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) violations.
Working with human resources professionals and in-house counsel at companies of all sizes, Mary Leigh’s practice involves:
- Employment Law – Counseling employers with respect to day-to-day employment matters, such as navigating disability and leave issues, drafting employment agreements and restrictive covenants, advising clients on discipline, discharge of employees and employee relations, drafting policies and employee handbooks, and advising employers on COVID-19 guidance.
- Labor & Employment Litigation – Representing employers in complaints related to non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, wrongful termination, reductions in force, discrimination and civil rights, wage and hour compliance, and unfair labor practice charges.
- Investigations – Conducting thorough and timely investigations of alleged unethical or unlawful behavior by employees at various levels of management and advising employers on preventative measures to mitigate risk and remediate such claims.
Mary Leigh is also a former assistant attorney general for the state of Tennessee, where she represented Tennessee consumers against violations of Tennessee’s Consumer Protection Statute and represented the interests of Tennessee consumers of investor-owned utility companies. Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Mary Leigh practiced at the Nashville law office of King & Ballow.
